Steiner fell awkwardly to the platform as the barbell crashed down on him

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Matthias Steiner of Germany gets hit by the weights while failing to make a successful lift in the men's over 105-kg, group A, weightlifting competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Defending Olympic weightlifting champion Matthias Steiner of Germany was hit in the neck by the barbell Tuesday and withdrew from the men's super heavyweight competition.

Steiner lost his balance trying to lift 196 kilograms - about 432 pounds - in his second lift of the snatch portion of the competition. He fell awkwardly to the platform as the barbell crashed down on him.